Epilogue
“No,” I firmly replied.
Mrs. Dane suddenly kneeled in front of me. And this...is just normal. I've seen a lot of people kneeling in front of me. Well, they have to. If they want my favor, they have to beg.
“Pakiusap.” Yumuko ito. “I-I have an illness, Mr. Lancaster. W-wala nang makakasama ang anak ko. Just please, accept this proposal of mine.”
“I don't marry for business.”
“I'm not asking you to m-marry her,” she replied. Her voice sounds weak. “All I'm asking is for you to train her how to run the business. Bilang na lang ang araw ko, Mr. Lancaster. I can't tell what's wrong with me because I don't want her to—”
“Enough,” I cut her and stood. “I'll meet your daughter tonight. If she deserves my attention, I'll accept your proposal. If she doesn't, find someone else to babysit your child.”
That night, I was supposed to meet her daughter. But the brat didn't arrive. She made us wait for hours! Hindi ko kailanman naranasang paghintayin ng ganoon katagal. So after I came home, I investigated about her.
“Ang init-init ng panahon, punyeta. Ano na naman, Damo?” iritang tanong ni Kryzler nang papasok sa aking opisina. “Siguraduhin mong milyones 'yan.”
I rolled my eyes at him. Nang makaupo siya sa visitor's chair ay kaagad kong nilapag ang papel na may pangalan ng anak ng Mrs. Dane.
“Fish some information about her. I need everything before five in the afternoon,” I said.
“Busy ako.” Kryzler yawned.
“Name your price.” I clenched my jaw.
That brought a smirk to his lips. “Bilhin mo 'yung isa kong mansion sa Greece. Katamad na magbakasyon du'n, e.”
“Deal.”
In the noon, he forwarded me everything about that brat. From her relationships, her escapades, and everything.
She's beautiful, indeed. She loves painting. She loves flirting different males every night at the bar. Everything about her was written here and I can't help but clenched my jaw in irritation. This girl needs to be disciplined.
Nang dumating ang gabing nagkita kami, I admit she's beautiful. Lalo na't mapungay ang mga mata nito dahil nakainom na. I wonder how can she continue her night life and escapades once she knew about her mother's condition? Maybe this is also the reason why Michaela doesn't want to tell her lovely daughter about her condition.
She smokes, too. And I hate girls who smoke. But that's not the reason why I keep stopping her from smoking. She's turning me on for fuck's sake! And she's ten years younger than me! I may have fvcked several women but I would never settle for someone a decade younger than me!
When Mrs. Dane died, I know she blamed me for her death. Dahil wala akong ibang ginawa. I know she saw me in that room. I am a man with needs, too. And she's making me horny all the damn time. Ayokong pumatol sa kanya.
Manipulating her was the hardest at first but easiest when I found her weakness. And it was her father's business. Gusto niyang makuha ito sa akin kahit hindi naman sa akin nakapangalan ang shares ng ama niya. I lied that her father asked me to take care of the business when in fact, it was her mother who asked me.
Nanatili siya sa bahay ko. And she thought I'm not in the mansion. Doon din ako umuuwi. Hindi niya lang ako nakakasalubong. I have few cameras around the house to monitor her. I bought her everything she needs to cope up with her mother's death.
I don't know how painful it is to lost someone you dearly love. I grew up isolated from other people. I grew up thinking my feelings mattered the most. That even if my happiness means hurting other people, I would still go for it. I think of myself highly to the point I'm looking down at others.
But the moment she took a step in my house, I realized the world doesn't revolve around me. Hindi lang ako ang may nararamdaman. Hindi ako ang may-ari ng mundo. She made me realize things I have never realized before. She made me feel emotions that are very foreign to me.
She's like a ray of sunshine and thunder through my storm.
“No way.” Umiling si Alas at humalakhak. “She's ten years younger than you, jackass! You're what? Thirty two? Tapos siya?”
“At least it's not pedophilia. She's not minor, Alas,” bored na ani ni Blaze.
Hindi ko na lang sila pinakinggan. I don't know if this is just a fatal attraction or something. I don't want to know. Basta't ang alam ko ay ayaw ko siyang umalis sa bahay ko. Ayokong makita siyang nilalapitan at nakikipagtawanan sa ibang lalaki. I want her for myself. She's mine and she needs to know that.
But those feelings were tested when I saw how the palpitations in her throat goes together with her heartbeat. I am not dumb not to know it was a heartbeat from someone inside her tummy.
She's pregnant. I know.
Napatingin ako sa orasan ngunit hindi pa rin siya umuuwi. Nauna siyang pumasok sa opisina kanina ngunit wala raw siya roon sabi ng aking tauhan na pinapabantay sa kanya.
I wonder where she is?
Nang sumapit ang alas siete ng gabi, nagdesisyon na akong hanapin siya. Nagbihis ako at nagmamadaling lumabas ng bahay dala ang aking susi at cellphone. I went to the garage while dialing Kryzler's number to locate her. Baka kung napano na.
Ngunit nagulat ako nang may humarang sa harap ng aking sasakyan pagkalabas ko ng gate. He's wearing a doctor's coat. Kaagad siyang tumakbo sa aking windshield at kinatok ito.
“You're Damien, right?” he asked.
Nangunot ang aking noo. He looks familiar. That's when I realized he's my girl's bestfriend. “Bakit? Nasaan si Micah?”
“Wala rito si Micah?” he asked back. “Shit!”
Tinulak ko pabukas ang pinto at lumabas. “Alam mo ba kung nasaan siya?”
“No!” Umiling ito. “Shit! We have to find her! She's pregnant!”
I was taken aback after hearing him. Kaagad akong napakunot-noo. “How did you know?”
“She went to my hospital this morning!” Ginulo nito ang kanyang buhok. “Fuck! I'm getting worried! Hindi ko ma-access ang mga footages ng CCTV sa parking lot sa ground floor. Her car is still there!”
My heart started to beat rapidly. Kaagad akong kinutuban sa narinig. Muli kong tinawagan si Kryzler at paulit-ulit na nagmumura nang sobrang tagal nitong sinagot ang tawag.
“Hello, what?”
“Locate Micah Dane right now.”
“Locating. I'll send you the address.”
As soon as the call ended, Kryzler texted me the address. Nangunot ang aking noo nang mapansing nasa labas na ito ng syudad.
“Nasaan daw siya?”
“Outside the city.” My jaw set. “Do you have guns with you?”
I saw how his forehead creased but nodded anyway. “Yes. Why?”
“Great. Follow me.”
I asked for the Pericolosi's back-up. Something's off. I know. Anong gagawin niya sa labas ng syudad na hindi dala ang kanyang sasakyan? And it's almost eight in the evening! She's pregnant for fvck's sake!
If something bad happens to her and my baby, I swear to kill who the fuck is behind this.
I didn't mind the speed of my car. Hindi ako mapakali. There's something wrong and I can feel it. Napansin ko rin ang ibang mga sasakyang sumusunod sa amin. The Pericolosi.
Pagkarating namin sa nasabing lugar ay namataan ko ang maraming armadong tauhan sa labas. Without further ado, we attacked them.
Everything was chaotic. Natamaan ako ng bala sa braso ngunit hindi ko na ramdam ang sakit nito. I'm desperate to find her. I saw Alas, Cameron, and Lucifer outside. Lucy paved the way for us—I and Micah's friend.
Kaagad kaming pumasok sa loob. It was an abandoned warehouse. My eyes landed on the man wearing a white sando walking towards us.
“A? Anong ginagawa mo rito?!” asik ng aking kasama.
Saka ko lang napansing magkamukha sila. The man named A smirked.
“It was so good pretending to be you—”
I didn't wait for him to finish his sentence. Kaagad ko siyang pinatamaan ng bala sa balikat. My face is void of emotions.
“Where is Micah?” I coldly asked.
Hinawakan nito ang kanyang brasong nagdurugo at sinamaan ako ng tingin. “She's dead—fuck!”
I shot him again. And this time, it's on his knees. Napaluhod kaagad ito habang ang kasama ko ay nakatitig lamang sa kanya.
They're twins huh.
“I said where?”
“Patay na!”
I tilted my head. Babarilin ko na sana siyang muli sa ulo nang makarinig ako ng tili mula sa likod ng naglalakihang tangke. Bumaling ako kay— who's this again?
“Ako na bahala rito,” he said.
Tumango na lang ako at tinakbo ang distansiya kung saan ko narinig ang tinig.
And for the first time in my life, I felt fear. It felt like all my strength were drained as I saw her lying on the ground, bloody and barely breathing. Namataan ko ang isang babaeng tumatakbo paalis.
Walang pag-aalinlangan ko itong pinutukan ng baril. She screamed when I shot her back. And for the last bullet, I saved it to shot her in the head. And I did. Hindi pa ito nakakaliko ay natumba na ito.
Kaagad kong nilapitan si Micah. I kneeled on the ground and have her head lay on my lap. Her eyes were closed. Napatingin ako sa kanyang binti at halos mawalan ako ng lakas nang makita ang maraming dugo.
“Micah! Micah, can you hear me?!”
No response.
I bit my lower lip. Walang pagdadalawang-isip ko siyang binuhat at tumakbo palabas ng abandonadong warehouse. Wala na sa isip ko ang tama ng baril sa aking balikat. All I think now is to save her.
Lucifer opened the door for me and helped me to get in. Nasa driver's seat naman si Cameron. Pagkapasok ko ay kaagad niyang pinatakbo ang sasakyan.
All the while, I was just looking at the bloody maiden in my arms. Mabagal ang paghinga nito na mas nakakaragdag ng panic ko. Kung pwede ko lang utusan si Cameron na papaliparin ang sasakyan ay ginawa ko na.
“Calm down, Lancaster. Makakaabot tayo,” he said.
All my life, I have never fear anything. Not even death. Ilang buhay na ang nakitil ko. Ilang dugo na ang dumampi sa aking mga kamay. But only her blood made me shiver in both anger and fear.
Never I have imagine myself feeling this kind of fear. Ngayon ko lang ito naranasan.
Pagkarating namin ng ospital, kaagad akong lumabas ng sasakyan at karga siya. The paramedics immediately attended me and Cameron asked for ten doctors to see her.
“Sorry, sir. Dito lang po kayo.”
Sinara ng nurse ang pinto at para akong nawalan ng lakas. Napaupo ako sa bleacher na nasa tabi ng hallway. Bahagyang kumirot ang aking brasong may tama ngunit hindi ko ito pinagtuonan ng pansin.
“Kailangan mo ring magpagamot. May tama ka,” ani ni Cameron.
I closed my eyes tightly. “Who the fuck was that?”
“Arthur Chavez. Carolina's husband and Micah's friend's brother. I just found out Carolina is seducing you to have your treasures. But Micah came into the picture so Arthur pretended to be Austin, his twin.”
Nagngingit ako sa galit. So the girl was Carolina? The one I shot in the head.
Natigil kami sa pag-uusap nang biglang nagkagulo ang mga nurse. Pumasok ang dalawang nurse na may dalang apat na bag ng dugo. Wala sa sarili akong napatayo dahilan upang kumirot ang aking braso.
“What's happening?” I asked.
“Calm down.”
A doctor approached me. “Gamutin po natin ang sugat niyo, Mr. Lancaster.”
Hindi sana ako papayag ngunit pinilit na ako ni Cameron. Wala rin akong sapat na lakas para kumontra.
They removed the bullet from my arm and wrapped it up. Matapos ay muli akong bumalik sa labas ng emergency room para mahintay si Micah nang salubungin ako ni Lucy.
“She's in the operating room,” he said.
Sabay kaming nagpunta roon. Bahagya niya pa akong inalalayan dahil nagkakatumba-tumba na ako. Pagkarating namin doon ay naratnan ko ang kaibigan ni Micah na umiiyak.
“Where's your brother?” I asked sternly.
Nag-angat siya ng tingin sa akin at napahilamos ng kanyang mukha. “Dead.”
He killed his brother? I felt satisfied. Tumango na lang ako.
Saktong papaupo na sana ako nang bumukas ang pinto at lumabas ang doktor na mukhang galing pa lang sa loob ng operating room.
He took off his mask and said, “We successfully removed the bullet from her. Dalawang basiyo ng bala ang naalis namin. Let's wait for her to wake up—”
“The baby...” I cut him. “How's the baby?”
Ngumiti ito. “The baby is fine. She's still in her first trimester, maliit pa ang bata. Hindi masyadong naapektuhan. Her tummy was swollen so I believed someone hit her tummy. But rest assured she's fine. You can visit her after we transfer her to her room.”
Para akong nabunutan ng tinik sa narinig. Nang mailipat si Micah sa kanyang private room, kaagad ko siyang pinuntahan.
Tulog pa rin ito at may nakakabit na oxygen sa kanya. Naghila ako ng isang upuan malapit sa tabi niya at umupo roon. I held her hand and squeezed it softly as fears started forming on my eyes.
Sa unang pagkakataon nakaramdam ako ng takot mawalan. Something that even my family can't make me feel this way.
And just realized this isn't just a fatal attraction or infatuation. Maybe...this is love. Minsan ko nang marinig ang ibig sabihin ng pagmamahal ngunit ni minsan ay hindi ko pa ito naramdaman.
Maybe this is love.
Hinintay kong magising siya. Lucy and Alas helped me with everything. Sila ang bumibili ng aking makakain at nagdadala sa akin ng damit mapalit dahil hanggang ngayon ay wala pa rin kami sa syudad.
“Wake up,” I whispered and kissed the back of her palm.
It's been days but she's still sleeping. Nababahala na ako.
Napatingin ako sa orasan na nasa aking pulso. Alas nuwebe na. Iidlip muna ako. Masakit na ang aking ulo dahil ilang araw na akong walang matinong.
I was about to close my eyes when I noticed her move her forefinger. Kaagad akong napatingin sa kanya. Slowly, she lifted her eyes and looked at me.
My eyes watered in an instant. “Micah? Can you hear me?”
She blinked her eyes and her lips moved. Walang tinig na nagmula sa kanya. But her lips moved and mouthed, "my baby".
I smiled and kissed the back of her palm. “The baby is fine. God, I'm sorry I was too late.”
She blinked her eyes slowly. That brought more tears on my eyes. Pinikit ko ang aking mga mata at tumayo para halikan ang kanyang noo. I saw how she closed her eyes.
“From now on you'll stay with me. Hindi ka na pwede pang makawala, Micah.” I caressed her soft hair. “You're mine to keep. You'll stay with me.” And unexpectedly, a word that I've been avoiding to spit a very long time slipped through my lips. “Je t'aime.”
The fire I played with her caught me and now I'm burning. Burning by the sensation that I only feel when I am with her.
I am in love with her. So much that I am willing to risk my life for her.
She taught me many things I never experienced in my whole life. And I'm looking forward to learn more from her. Because the more things she taught me, the longer she stay in my arms.
And will forever be in my arms.
- END -